Piper Aerostar 601P accident near Baraboo, Wisconsin, August 18, 2010
On August 18, 2010 at about 2:31 pm local time, a Piper Aerostar 601P, registered N601PP, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Baraboo, Wisconsin (Baraboo Wisconsin Dells Airpor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's diverted attention during an approach for landing that resulted in an altitude loss and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2010 · about 2:31 pm local time
- Place
- Baraboo, Wisconsin · Baraboo Wisconsin Dells Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper Aerostar 601P · all Aerostar 601Ps on the register
- Registration
- N601PP · no longer on the register · serial 61P07468063367
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was on approach to the destination airport when the pilot noticed a differential reading between the left and right engine cylinder/exhaust temperatures. While preparing to land, he moved his seat back to be able to better view the gauges located on the right side of the instrument panel. While the pilot was recording the gauge indications on paper, the airplane's airspeed decreased, the sink rate increased, and the airplane descended and impacted trees and a corn field.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Altitude deviation during approach
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Workload management › Task allocation › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 24,285 hours in all; 5 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: June 6, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C35 Reedsburg WI at 2:26 pm
- Destination: DLL Baraboo WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 2:14 pm from MSN, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN10LA529.